Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Jones, 29, hasn’t played much during his six-year NFL career, as he’s attempted just 169 passes in relief of Roethlisberger. In that span, Jones has been a middling option, completing 63.9% of his passes for 1,310 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

The Steelers also placed wide receiver Eli Rogers on the Reserve/PUP List, which will keep him off of the field for at least the first six weeks of the season.

]]>2Jets Sign George Atkinson; Elijah McGuire Out Three To Six Weekshttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2018/07/jets-sign-george-atkinson-elijah-mcguire-out-three-to-six-weeks
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2018/07/jets-sign-george-atkinson-elijah-mcguire-out-three-to-six-weeks#commentsSun, 29 Jul 2018 15:11:36 +0000https://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=113428The Jets have signed George Atkinson III, per Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter). Atkinson, a running back by trade, has gotten just seven carries in his professional career. He has been deployed more frequently as a punt returner, seeing action in 2014 with the Raiders and 2016 with the Browns (his seven carries came with Cleveland). He did not log any regular season snaps last year, though he spent some time on the Chiefs’ practice squad.

Atkinson will presumably operate as a temporary replacement for running back Elijah McGuire. As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter), McGuire will undergo surgery on his broken foot and will be sidelined for three to six weeks. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets that the team will have to decide whether it wants to carry McGuire on the 53-man roster or place him on short-term IR.

In the wake of McGuire’s injury, Gang Green quickly set up visits with free agent running backs Orleans Darkwa and Alfred Morrisyesterday, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted earlier this morning that the Jets were not expected to immediately sign either player, and the Atkinson signing seems to foreclose the addition of Darkwa or Morris. Cimini notes that the Jets also worked out running back Tion Green (Twitter link).

Darkwa, Morris, and even Green have more experience as an NFL running back than Atkinson, so perhaps the fact that the Jets signed Atkinson suggests that they expect McGuire to be back sooner rather than later. McGuire, a 2017 sixth-rounder, is a player that the Jets have high hopes for, and assuming he gets healthy, he should see his fair share of snaps, even with Isaiah Crowelland Bilal Powellalso under contract.

The Browns got former Packers wide receiverJeff Janis on a one-year, $1.25MM deal with no guaranteed money, Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel tweets. He’ll have to make the 53-man roster to earn any cash, but the deal does include a $100K workout bonus. If he sticks, the contract will call for a $1.25MM cap number.

Wide receiver Kendall Wright’s deal with the Vikings is worth $1MM with $400K guaranteed, Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune tweets. The pack includes an $800K base salary, $100K signing bonus, and a $100K workout bonus.

Tight end Bucky Hodges’ contract with the Jets is a two-year deal worth $1.075MM, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. The pact includes a $25K roster bonus if he is on the 53-man roster in Week 1.

]]>0Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC Northhttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2017/09/sunday-nfl-transactions-nfc-north-2
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2017/09/sunday-nfl-transactions-nfc-north-2#commentsSun, 03 Sep 2017 21:03:07 +0000https://www.profootballrumors.com/?p=77289Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Bears, Lions, Packers, and Vikings are noted below.

Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s NFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

The Vikings announced four draft pick signings today (via Chris Tomasson of TwinCities.com): third-round center Pat Elflein, sixth-round tight end Bucky Hodges, seventh-round linebacker Elijah Lee, and seventh-round safety Jack Tocho. Meanwhile, a source indicated that seventh-round wideout Stacy Coley also agreed to a contract and is expected to sign his deal later on Tuesday. Having seemingly signed five more rookies, that leaves running back Dalvin Cook as the Vikings’ lone unsigned pick. However, a source said that the second-round pick is expected to sign his rookie contract at some point this week.

The Giants signed fourth-round pick Wayne Gallman today, reports Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (via Twitter). It’s a four-year deal worth $2.8MM, with a signing bonus worth more than $400K. The former Clemson standout previously earned a spot on the All-ACC Second Team during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, and the organization is hoping that those talents will translate to the NFL. As Schwartz notes, this leaves first-round pick Evan Engram as the team’s lone unsigned rookie. The tight end finished his final season at Ole Miss with 65 receptions for 926 yards and eight touchdowns.

]]>1Bucky Hodges To Enter NFL Drafthttps://www.profootballrumors.com/2017/01/bucky-hodges-to-enter-nfl-draft
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2017/01/bucky-hodges-to-enter-nfl-draft#commentsSun, 01 Jan 2017 18:53:09 +0000https://pfr.traderumors.com/?p=48570Virginia Tech tight end Bucky Hodges has chosen to forego his final season of collegiate eligibility and enter the NFL draft, according to Jared Shanker of ESPN.com. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr. ranks Hodges as the best tight end in this year’s class, just ahead of Alabama’s O.J. Howard (Insider subscription required).

At 6-7, 245 pounds, Hodges is a physical freak. He is also extremely fast for a player his size, and he has enjoyed a prolific career for the Hokies, notching 127 catches and 20 touchdowns during his time in Blacksburg, including 48 catches for 691 yards and seven touchdowns this past season.

The former high school quarterback was frequently lined up as a wide receiver for Virginia Tech, and he was rarely used as an in-line blocker. Blocking, therefore, will be something that he needs to work on when he turns pro, but given that most collegiate tight ends are essentially overgrown wideouts these days, that will not hamper his draft stock too much in the pass-happy NFL.

A more pressing concern about his game could be his route-running, as he is still somewhat unpolished in that regard and often relies on his size and athleticism to win his matchups, which will be more difficult for him to do at the next level. But that, too, is something that is becoming more common in today’s college game, which has seen the proliferation of spread offenses and other offensive schemes designed to exploit athletic mismatches.

But all of Hodges’ positive attributes certainly overshadow his weaknesses, which can be addressed by an NFL coaching staff. He will be a first-round selection this spring.